My light-up Santas

My girlies.  Santa and his reindeer appear to fly through the sky!

      I started collecting vintage plastic, light -up decorations the summer of 1994.  At the time I was really into going to garage/estate sales searching for hidden treasures.  I was at the estate sale of an old woman who had lived on the mesa, and I found this mint condition light-up lawn decoration of Santa in his sleigh with 2 reindeer, still in the box.  I got it for a steal, because everyone, including my husband, thought it was white trash.  Well, I was determined to prove I had purchased a vintage treasure.  Nine months pregnant with our second child, Michelle, whose birthday is today, December 14th, I got out the ladder and tie wire and decided to find a way to make the Santa and reindeer fly.  I was able to string the sleigh and reindeer and suspend them from two eye hole screws that were already exactly where I needed them.  I have never figured out what the previous owners of my 97 year old house would have used the screws for but I took it as a sign that I was on the right path.  Some how, in my very cumbersome condition, I got that Santa and reindeer to fly, all by myself (with the help of a few expletives!).  I'm proud to say, my husband loved the effect of the flying Santa, I was proved right and it subsequently became a holiday staple for us and the neighborhood.  For years we would describe our house as the one with the flying Santa at Christmastime. Sadly, years of weathering, and more than a few wind storms put our Flying Santa to rest, but I have expanded my collection to indoor light-up Santas.  When lit, the Santas give such a festive glow to any room...even the bathroom.

My daughter, Natalie found this one at a garage sale...$1!

Look at that patina! I got this one in an antique store in
San Diego because it reminded me so much of my childhood.

Notice the Currier and Ives print in the background.
Another collection.

I think the Santas look great even when they aren't lit up.  I got the little Santa last year after Christmas
in an antique shop in Carpinteria.  My daughter, Gabrielle, bought me the other one at the Rose Bowl Swap meet.

How magical do the Santas make my hot cocoa station look?